20 Best Horror Movies Since 2000
15. REC
The claustrophobic confines of a stuffy apartment building provides the setting for the Spanish horror film REC, a found footage gem which features a sterling performance from Manuela Velasco as the TV reporter who stumbles across a deadly outbreak which appears to be sending people into a murderous rage, as she covers the night shift of a crew of firemen.
REC is a masterfully constructed horror film which builds tension from early on and finishes in a crescendo of horror, complete with some of the most iconic movie imagery of the 21st century. What makes it so effective is the legitimate use of the found footage concept: the handheld camerawork and lighting, provided by the reporter's trusty cameraman, is completely of a piece with the concept and never feels contrived.
It's this marriage of concept and execution which makes REC such a thrilling horror film akin to a fun fair ride. The pacing is perfect, the action becomes relentless towards the end, and the pared down plot and backstory stands as the mark of filmmakers who understand that sometimes, less is more.